Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Biographical Information about St. Bonaventure[1]
Readings for Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Isaiah 7:1-9
This selection from the book of the Prophet Isaiah describes a national crisis under the rule of King Ahaz. The situation is concisely as described in 2 Kings 16: 5-9. An alliance had been formed between Aram and Israel (initially formed against Assyria) which threatens Jerusalem and throws the country into a crisis. The meeting between Isaiah and his son Shear-jashub with Ahaz has subtle significance. The son’s name translated means "a remnant will return" which implies that destruction will fall on the people but some will be saved.
God’s message to King Ahaz through Isaiah’s oracle is to remain calm, it is only through complete faith in God that salvation can occur (“This shall not stand, it shall not be!”). The final instruction to stand firm placing his absolute faith in God’s saving power is problematic because the dates are probably not translated accurately. Scholars agree that the passage: “But within sixty years and five…” was more likely intended to be “Yet six, nay five more years…”[3] a timeframe which would have given Ahaz comfort. This summons is believed to be a pointed reminder of the oracle of Nathan in 2 Samuel 7: 12-17.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 48:2-3a, 3b-4, 5-6, 7-8
R. God upholds his city for ever.
Psalm 48 is a Zion hymn, praising the holy city as the invincible dwelling place of God. Unconquerable, it is an apt symbol of God who has defeated all enemies. The psalm describes the victory by the Divine Warrior over hostile kings. The selection reflects God’s support for Jerusalem scene in Isaiah 7: 1-9 (above).
Gospel Matthew 11:20-24
This passage follows the parable of the “Children in the Marketplace” addressed to those who have heard the words of John the Baptist (and Jesus). Jesus accuses them of not being willing to hear that they must turn away from sin and repent.
In this passage he goes further chastising the towns in which he has performed great signs. As in the parable that proceeded it, this selection speaks of the punishment reserved for those who refuse to hear the word he has spoken and continue to ignore the law and prophets. Their fate, he tells them will be worse than that of Sodom.
Reflection:
One of the classic images of the idyllic family life is of a parent teaching their young child to ride a bike. The picture is of a child astride a small two wheeled bicycle being guided by their mother or father clearly running along behind them with a hand outstretched holding the child up. If we have been in that exact situation we know that as long as the child knows the father (or mother) is there to keep them from falling, they will be confident, balancing instinctively. But if they should look back and see that their parent has allowed them to ride off on their own, they become frightened, uncertain, and (especially the first time this happens) they panic and fall. Lose of faith causes instant calamity.
It’s a pretty obvious analogy to scripture today. In the reading from Isaiah, the Prophet goes to King Ahaz and tells him that in spite of the armies encamped against him outside the walls of Jerusalem, he should remain calm. As long as he has faith in God’s strength, the Lord will not allow the conspiring kings to break the line of King David.
The lesson is more powerful in the Gospel. Jesus and St. John the Baptist have been trying to tell the people that it is God’s guiding hand they should see in the miraculous signs they have performed. But they reject the obvious and Jesus warns them that they are headed for a calamity on the scale of Sodom and Gomorrah. Like a child on a bike – they looked back and do not see the hand holding them up.
The scripture is instructive for us as well. Confidence in God alone will lead us safely to our goal. If we lose our faith in God’s loving help, we will certainly loose our balance, struggle wildly and fall. On the other hand, if we remain steadfast and have confidence in our God whose hand is sustaining us, we will remain safe.
Our prayer today is that we will always keep our trust in the Lord whose adopted children we are. He has sent His Holy Spirit to guide us and with that guiding force we will be lead safely to the ultimate prize.
Pax
[1] The picture used today is “St. Bonaventure” by Francisco de Zurbarán, c. 1640-1650
[2] After Links to Readings Expire
[3] Jerome Biblical Commentary, on Isaiah 7:9
Biographical Information about St. Bonaventure[1]
Readings for Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Isaiah 7:1-9
This selection from the book of the Prophet Isaiah describes a national crisis under the rule of King Ahaz. The situation is concisely as described in 2 Kings 16: 5-9. An alliance had been formed between Aram and Israel (initially formed against Assyria) which threatens Jerusalem and throws the country into a crisis. The meeting between Isaiah and his son Shear-jashub with Ahaz has subtle significance. The son’s name translated means "a remnant will return" which implies that destruction will fall on the people but some will be saved.
God’s message to King Ahaz through Isaiah’s oracle is to remain calm, it is only through complete faith in God that salvation can occur (“This shall not stand, it shall not be!”). The final instruction to stand firm placing his absolute faith in God’s saving power is problematic because the dates are probably not translated accurately. Scholars agree that the passage: “But within sixty years and five…” was more likely intended to be “Yet six, nay five more years…”[3] a timeframe which would have given Ahaz comfort. This summons is believed to be a pointed reminder of the oracle of Nathan in 2 Samuel 7: 12-17.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 48:2-3a, 3b-4, 5-6, 7-8
R. God upholds his city for ever.
Psalm 48 is a Zion hymn, praising the holy city as the invincible dwelling place of God. Unconquerable, it is an apt symbol of God who has defeated all enemies. The psalm describes the victory by the Divine Warrior over hostile kings. The selection reflects God’s support for Jerusalem scene in Isaiah 7: 1-9 (above).
Gospel Matthew 11:20-24
This passage follows the parable of the “Children in the Marketplace” addressed to those who have heard the words of John the Baptist (and Jesus). Jesus accuses them of not being willing to hear that they must turn away from sin and repent.
In this passage he goes further chastising the towns in which he has performed great signs. As in the parable that proceeded it, this selection speaks of the punishment reserved for those who refuse to hear the word he has spoken and continue to ignore the law and prophets. Their fate, he tells them will be worse than that of Sodom.
Reflection:
One of the classic images of the idyllic family life is of a parent teaching their young child to ride a bike. The picture is of a child astride a small two wheeled bicycle being guided by their mother or father clearly running along behind them with a hand outstretched holding the child up. If we have been in that exact situation we know that as long as the child knows the father (or mother) is there to keep them from falling, they will be confident, balancing instinctively. But if they should look back and see that their parent has allowed them to ride off on their own, they become frightened, uncertain, and (especially the first time this happens) they panic and fall. Lose of faith causes instant calamity.
It’s a pretty obvious analogy to scripture today. In the reading from Isaiah, the Prophet goes to King Ahaz and tells him that in spite of the armies encamped against him outside the walls of Jerusalem, he should remain calm. As long as he has faith in God’s strength, the Lord will not allow the conspiring kings to break the line of King David.
The lesson is more powerful in the Gospel. Jesus and St. John the Baptist have been trying to tell the people that it is God’s guiding hand they should see in the miraculous signs they have performed. But they reject the obvious and Jesus warns them that they are headed for a calamity on the scale of Sodom and Gomorrah. Like a child on a bike – they looked back and do not see the hand holding them up.
The scripture is instructive for us as well. Confidence in God alone will lead us safely to our goal. If we lose our faith in God’s loving help, we will certainly loose our balance, struggle wildly and fall. On the other hand, if we remain steadfast and have confidence in our God whose hand is sustaining us, we will remain safe.
Our prayer today is that we will always keep our trust in the Lord whose adopted children we are. He has sent His Holy Spirit to guide us and with that guiding force we will be lead safely to the ultimate prize.
Pax
[1] The picture used today is “St. Bonaventure” by Francisco de Zurbarán, c. 1640-1650
[2] After Links to Readings Expire
[3] Jerome Biblical Commentary, on Isaiah 7:9
No comments:
Post a Comment